Daniel Brown (1st/65) became the first player to hold the 18-hole lead/co-lead in his Major championship debut since Christo Lamprecht at the 2023 Open Championship.
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The Englishman posted 71-68 in the Final Qualifying at West Lancashire Golf Club to earn a spot in the field.
Won his first DP World Tour title at the 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational; owns two top-five finishes in 17 starts this season on the DP World Tour (T3/AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, T4/SDC Championship).
The World No. 272 has two career starts on the PGA TOUR entering the week (2023 ISCO Championship/T7, 2024 Genesis Scottish Open/61st) and opened with 65 both times; sat T2 through 36 holes at the 2023 ISCO Championship.
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Shane Lowry (2nd/66) shot his lowest opening-round score in 46 career Major appearances (previous: 67/2019 Open Championship/Won); only his third sub-70 score in his last 18 opening rounds in a Major.
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Sixth career bogey-free round in a major, including his third at The Open Championship (2019/R3, 2014/R4).
A victory for the 2019 champion would end a streak of 10 consecutive first-time Open Championship winners (longest streak is 11 from 1994-2004); Ernie Els in 2012 is the last player to become a multiple winner of The Open Championship.
Has two top-10s in 11 career Open Championship appearances entering the week (T9/2014, Won/2019).
Has three top-10s in Majors since his win at the 2019 Open Championship (2024 PGA Championship/T6, 2022 Masters Tournament/T3, 2021 PGA Championship/T4).
Collected his third PGA TOUR title alongside Rory McIlroy at the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, his first since the 2019 Open Championship.
Last player to win their first two Major titles at The Open Championship: Padraig Harrington (2007, 2008).
Justin Thomas (3rd/68) overcame a double-bogey 6 at the par-4 12th to post 68 for his lowest opening-round score in a Major.
Since his win at the 2022 PGA Championship (67); has one top-15 finish in seven previous appearances at The Open Championship (T11/2019); made his Open Championship debut in 2016 at Royal Troon (T53) where he opened with a 67 to sit T4.
2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele (T4/69) opened with 69 for the third time in his last four starts at The Open Championship; eighth time in 18 starts on the PGA TOUR this season he has sat inside the top 10 through Round One.
Rory McIlroy (T129/78) carded his highest score on TOUR since the 2021 PLAYERS Championship (79/R1); marks his seventh score of 78 or higher in a major and first since a first-round 79 at the 2019 Open Championship.
 became the first player to hold the 18-hole lead/co-lead in his Major championship at The Openin Royal Troon){kind=link}